TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — China reacted to the U.S. House Speaker’s meeting with Taiwan’s president by announcing sanctions Friday against the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and other organizations, adding to tensions over the democracy of the self-governing island that Beijing claims as its own. territory.
Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy held talks with President Tsai Ing-wen at the Reagan Library in Simi Valley, Calif., on Wednesday, defying Chinese warnings. McCarthy joined a growing number of foreign lawmakers who met with Tsai in a show of support for Taiwan in the face of Chinese intimidation.
US-China relations have sunk to their lowest level in decades over disputes over the status of Taiwan, which split from China in 1949 after a civil war, as well as over security, technology and Beijing’s treatment of Hong Kong and Muslim ethnic minorities.
The ruling Communist Party says Taiwan will reunify with China, by force if necessary, and has no right to run foreign relations. President Xi Jinping’s government says contact with foreign officials will embolden Taiwanese who want formal independence, a step Beijing says would lead to war.
China’s Foreign Ministry announced that the Reagan Library and the Hudson Institute, a Washington think tank, were sanctioned for “providing a platform and an advantage for separatist activities in Taiwan.” He said Chinese institutions are prohibited from cooperating or contacting them.
An email request for comment from the library was not immediately returned Thursday evening.
Tsai received a leadership award from the Hudson Institute as part of her trip to the United States and gave a speech on Taiwan’s regional security challenges.
The ministry also cited Sarah May Stern, chair of the Hudson Institute’s board of trustees; John P. Walters, director of the institute; John Heubusch, former executive director of the Reagan Foundation and Joanne M. Drake, chief administrator of the foundation.
The ministry said they have been banned from visiting China and any property or financial assets they hold in China will be frozen.
“We will take resolute measures to punish the ‘Taiwan Independence’ separatist forces and their actions and resolutely protect our country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” the Taiwan Affairs Office of China’s cabinet said Thursday.
The US government has no official relationship with Taiwan, but maintains extensive informal and commercial ties. Washington is required by federal law to ensure the island has the means to defend itself if attacked by China.
Xi’s government has stepped up its efforts to intimidate Taiwan by flying fighter jets and firing missiles into the nearby sea.
McCarthy’s predecessor as speaker, Nancy Pelosi, flew to Taiwan in August and met with Tsai. Also, parliamentarians from the European parliaments visited the island.
In addition, two Asian groups, the Prospect Foundation and the Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats, were fined for their involvement in promoting Taiwan independence “under the guise of academic and research exchanges,” a spokesman for the organization said. , Zhu Fenglian. .
The Prospect Foundation is a Taiwanese think tank that works on dialogue and cooperation on issues related to Taiwan’s security, economy and social development. The Asian Council of Liberals and Democrats is a regional organization established in Thailand that promotes exchanges between liberal and democratic political parties in Asia. The Democratic Progressive Party of Taiwan is a member.
Separately, Taiwan’s business office also announced new sanctions against Hsiao Bi-khim, Taiwan’s representative to the United States.
Hsiao’s ban does not appear to be substantially different from the ban imposed on him when Pelosi visited Taiwan. China has announced sanctions against a list of people in the DPP and the ruling administration, including Hsiao. It therefore banned individuals, their family members and related organizations from traveling or operating in China, including Hong Kong. Friday’s announcement said any financial sponsors of Hsiao are also included.
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